This invention is directed to an angle setting and measurement gage, which is a 2-piece structure which can be set to accurately define and measure angles and particularly small angles.
In the trades and crafts, such as metal working and wood working, it becomes necessary to set two parts in a very accurate angular position. Existing protractors do not have the required accuracy. At present, one manner in which precise angles are set is to employ precision angular gage blocks. The artisan must stack many of these dedicated angular blocks together to achieve the desired angles. Another method is to use sine bars. These very precise bars are used in conjunction with linear gage blocks. The artisan is required to employ trigonometric calculations to achieve the desired angle of the sine bar. Either of these methods of measuring or setting an angle becomes very time-consuming. In addition, the accurate gage blocks required are quite expensive. The same kind of system is used in both the setting of the angle and the measuring of an existing angle. The measurement works in the opposite manner, with the assembly of accurate gage bars to the angle presented by existing parts. Either the setting of an angle or measuring an angle is time-consuming by employing the present-day gage blocks.
It is helpful to provide a gage which can be easily used to set an angle or measure the angle between existing parts, with the angle measurement being done with great accuracy, even at small angles.
In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to an angle setting and measurement gage which has a body which is conveniently configured as a flat plate. The body has a reference edge and a base edge. The base edge has an apex which serves as a contact pivot on a supporting surface. A foot of known height is positioned under the base edge away from the apex to define a triangle. The height of the foot defines the opposite side; the distance from the apex to the top of the foot along the base edge defines the hypotenuse; while the distance from the apex to the bottom of the foot along the supporting surface defines the adjacent. Thus, the positioning of the foot along the base edge controls the angle of the reference edge with respect to the supporting surface. The body may have several reference edges, which have a known fixed angle with respect to each other.
It is, thus, a purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is economic of construction, easy to use and which can accurately set and measure angles.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is of simple construction so that it can be accurately manufactured to provide accuracy in the gage.
It is another purpose and advantage of this invention to provide an angle setting and measurement gage which is particularly useful in setting small angles on a scroll saw or table saw.
Other purposes and advantages of this invention will be noted from the study of the following portion of the preferred embodiment and the attached claims.